Step by Step
by WombatLumos
Summary: When the boys receive a new guest in the mansion, it was all they could hope that it could at least bring something into the now gloomy mansion. Especially since she is an empath.


Chapter 1

It was freezing like a bitch.

She swore Christ was having an off day and the rain is taking advantage of the frosty winter, turning into what she hoped is not, a blizzard. It has been almost five hours now and the storm is getting stronger than ever, the snow's getting thicker and colder down the road. Making her way towards a more bigger tree than the one she was taking refuge, Amaya clutch the thin winter jacket closer to her, praying for warmth that was never to come in this weather.

Seven days. It has been seven goddamn days since that terrible day. That awful, unfortunate, forever terrible Tuesday. She never liked Tuesday. It was a day full of hope after a day of full of Monday blues, only to be crushed with the misery of mundane events and unfulfilled path and dream. It was never good when it was Tuesday.

Today is Tuesday.

Amaya growled.

Though normally when she did that it would sound like an angry wolf(in her mind that is), today it came out more like a pathetic whimper with her teeth chattering fighting the cold.

Tuesday is never a good day for her.

She ran past three more big trees before stopping underneath the only lamp post she discovered for the last two hours. And that was when she saw the big wall separating the border of the nearby town and the forest beside it. It stretch far out until her eyes can barely see its distance, covering whatever it was inside it. Whatever that is really, really big.

Big enough to know it would be filled with money.

And shelter. With food. And money.

She can never get her priorities straight.

Amaya could feel her signature cheshire grin making her way to her face.

Quickly assessing her situation, she roll her shoulders, huffing out the coldness inside her while jumping a few times to stretch her legs. The thought of warmth of money fuel her energy as she climbs the wall with expertise that came from years of living off the streets.

It took her about ten times before she could get to the other side. And fall miserably face flat into the freezing snow. Damn, her whole face felt frozen, she couldn't even let out a curse for that. Getting up wasn't an easy task but her determination was too strong to let her hopes down. And when she finally makes sense of her surrounding did she see the big whatever that was protected by the walls.

It was goddamn castle.

A castle. Like one she heard from Snow White and Cinderella stories. A castle.

A freakin castle. In New York.

"Damn." She managed to stutter. Again, it was a castle.

How the hell was she going to sneak inside a goddamn castle?

A quick look around informs her that the place lacks any guards. But she never gonna let that get her defence down.

Erik stop!

Wait, what was that? Amaya still her walk, scanning around to see anyone around her. Shit, she knew it was not going to be that easy!

_No! Please, Erik! No!_

What the fuck, that was just plain weird. Amaya was freaking out. The voices. It was inside her head.

At the same time she was assaulted by immense wave of sadness. Sadness, fear, agony and pain. Extreme pain. It all came like bloody hurricane and suffocate her she could hardly breathe, collapsing onto the thick snow. The pain was too much. Her head, her heart. It felt like exploding!

_Raven_!

_Erik!_

_Stop! Don't go!_

_No!_

Amaya claps her hand to her ears, closing her eyes and scream so loud just to make the voices and the pain go away.

"Stop. Please stop." Amaya cried. The tears came just as the multiple wave of emotion come barreling inside her. It was the most intense feeling she ever held, or got from the people she come in contact with.

But there was nobody in sight and she is just so _sad_.

The voices stop just then and Amaya could finally breathe. It was too much and she coughed with tears pouring out of her eyes. What the bloody hell was that? That has never happened before. That was intense and it nearly made her pee her pants off! Taking control of her breathing, she stand up and get her bearings right.

And just like any other time it happened, only much less intense as this one, she felt the emotion coming off from the castle. It was so strong she could see the particles of emotion, if there was even such thing, projecting all around the grounds. Crying her eyes and lips trembling, she made her way there, intent to know who could be so sad while living in a fairy tale castle.

* * *

><p>"Professor!"<p>

"Professor, wake up!"

"Wake up!"

Charles opens his eyes. His head and most of his t-shirt covered in sweats as he felt hands on his arms carefully release him back into his bed.

Sadness. Pain. The beach. Cuba. Missiles. Erik and Raven.

"Professor?"

Charles blink the barely there sleep from his eyes before he look up to see all three of the mutant boys staring down at him.

It seems like a common occurrence now. To be stared down like that.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You're projecting again."

Charles winch at that and Sean was attack with glare by both Hank and Alex. The beastly growl from Hank was a bit more threatening. But then again, the faint light red glow slowly emanating from Alex was not so calming either.

Charles sighs tiredly before pulling himself up slightly, "Guys. No need to worry. I am fine. " _For now_. "I'm sorry to woke you all up."

The apology was met with mumblings of "It's okay." "I wasn't that asleep anyway." and "Was on my way to take a leek when I heard you, no trouble."

"Are you sure, Professor? Do you need anything?" Alex ask from his left. Sean beside him sat perched on his bed, looking at him curiously.

"No. I'm fine, Alex."

"Do you need to go to the toilet or anything. I could lift you." Sean ask again.

"No. no. I'm fine, Sean. Thank you." The intention was innocent and noble but Charles could not help but felt horrible by that request. "I do feel like drinking some water." He said through his coarse throat.

Sean nodded quickly and got up to the door. "I'll get that for you."

"No." Sean stopped. "I feel like going to the kitchen myself"

Just as soon as he said it, immediately the boys got up from the bed and make their way to help the Professor off the bed and into the wheelchair.

"Stop." Everybody still their movement. "I can do it myself."

It came out harsher than he intended. He did not mean to. Far from it. But it was awful enough he was projecting his nightmares. And for the boys to see him in such state. It was too much. But damage were done and it did not take a telepath to see the slight hurt from all mutants inside his room. With not much ease, he transport himself to his wheelchair while politely decline the invitation to wheel him to the kitchen by the others. The other boys made their way towards their room to sleep, though Hank move towards his lab. The beast never needed much sleep after the enhancement of his mutation. Charles made his way to kitchen and took a glass out of the cabinets before filling it with cold water.

Two months. It has been two months since the Cuban Missiles Crisis. Two months since the whole world recognized the existence of mutants. Two months since he lost his legs.

Two months since Erik and Raven left him.

The nightmares have been a common occurrence nowadays. Waking up in sweats and sore throat from screaming. The boys running down to his new room on the first floor. His powers are getting erratic as ever. Randomly projecting visual to the minds of the boys in the mansion, hearing thoughts as far as the eastern part of the world in a second before complete silence in a moment.

Control was something Charles have mastered over the years he had known his mutation, and yet the single act of Raven and Erik leaving has made him completely lost any form of it all.

He drank the cold water, sighing at the cool comfort it gave him. Hardly anything gave him comfort anymore. The mental and physical pain was unbearable at times and the assistance from the boys could only ease so much. He loathed himself for the helplessness he's becoming and try so much to keep himself up for the sake of the boys and his pride.

But the tiny bout of pain from his back and a simple glimpse of metal (which was everywhere), plus Hank's blue fur broke his composure and soon the whole house could see and felt the image of blonde, sometimes red hair with blue skin and heavy metal clashing transmitted from him.

Control was something he find when he seek the aid of medication pills prescribed by the hospital for his pain. It ease his mind, if not for a while. And sometimes the dosage was enough to put him to sleep at night without any recurring nightmares. But the Professor of Genetic was not a fool and his reliance towards those pills was a warning sign for an impending doom for his health, and most probably his mutation.

Feeling slightly better and a bit refreshed from his nightmare. He wheeled himself to put the glass inside the sink and make his way towards the library. He nearly was out of the room before he _felt_, rather than _heard_, the soft curiosity and fear from a mind inside the kitchen.

And it was not by any of the mutant boys.

_Crap, he's stopping. Stop breathing. Hide!_

Charles would have called the intruder out if not for the wave of calmness that drifted inside him. It was small but pleasant. And it was a long time since he felt that. Calmness.

And it came from the intruder.

Charles gave a bit smile before he spoke, "I know you're there, Amaya."

* * *

><p><strong>This will be an oc fic. Pairings are not definite yet, but it is really will be just Amaya and the guys in the mansioncastle. If you are wondering what Amaya looks like, google IU or Lee Jie Eun. She is how I see Amaya. **

**Constructive criticism and fangirling/fanboying are welcome.**

**P/S: This was written at 3 a.m. Not edited yet.**


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